Pakistani Taliban releases kidnapped government employees

The Pakistani Taliban Saturday released eight government employees who were kidnapped nearly a year ago in the South Waziristan tribal region, officials said.

Taliban's move came at a time when the militants and the government are set to hold peace talks, Xinhua reported.

The freed men were working on a dam project when they were kidnapped by the Taliban militants in August last year.

A government spokesman in Peshawar confirmed the release of the employees, who were handed over to tribesmen in Waziristan region Saturday morning.

Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had released several videos of the abducted employees, who had asked the government to accept demands of the captors.

The TTP wanted the release of some of their prisoners for exchange of the employees, sources said.

However, the government had not accepted their demands.

A tribal council had been in touch with the Taliban for their release and the Taliban agreed to free them.

Taliban spokesman Shahidullah Shahid said the eight men were released as a "goodwill gesture."